The Punisher: Different Gifts
by The One-Bullet Anti-Hero
Summary: A nontraditional Punisher story cataloging the expieriences of two young boys.
1. Chapter 1

_**The Punisher: "Different Gifts"**_

**_Part 1_**

………………………

Marc Booker hated when his parents fought. Thats what they did now. The sounds emenating from the kitchen made poor Marc cringe everytime. It was like when they fought, every yell,cry,sob, was like a punch from Daredevil or The Thing.

He sat on the couch shivering, it was very cold, and he only had tatters of an old Big-Bird blanket to keep him warm in the lonely apartment.

He stared at the ghost of a Christmas Tree. It's needles lying in piles on the floor. His parents had barley any money, and certainly not enough for a real Christmas this year.

Marc had always held a special place in his heart for Christmas Trees. The smell,and the sight of them always reminded him of what Christmas should be like...

"What it could have been like if it hadn't been for Dad's accident.." Marc thought. Then immedietley felt ashamed. His Father couldn't have helped getting in that accident,having his hand..torn off..

The thought of it made him sick.

3 weeks ago, the hospital had called his house. His Mother had picked up the phone then rushed off. It seemed that his Father had been in an accident, his hand had been torn off. When his Father had came back to the house, he hadn't spoken. He sat and stared and did nothing.

The hospital bill had wiped out all Christmas funds,and then some. Leaving Marc's family with barely anything,save a brokedown apartment in the projects.

Marc shifted his weight on the couch and his ear inclined more toward the kitchen. He thought his parents were arguing about the accident. Marc frowned.

Everytime he asked his Mother about what exactly happened, she shrugged him off,and changed the subject. Marc had had a feeling that something wasn't right about this "accident". That he wasn't hearing the whole story. He usaully was very talented at ignoring their fights,but this time, his ear listened in on the dull roar coming from the kitchen.

" YOU WHAT?" Marc's Father screamed, his voice full of fear.

" I will not let this go on anymore, Rich,especially after what they did to you.." His Mother replied. Her voice toned down to the pitch and whisper of a calm sea.

"That man's a monster! His killed hundred's, no thousands of people!" his Father replied,voice turning from dull roar to minor tremor.

"They didn't all deserve it?" His Mother replied."He's the only one who cares, the police do nothing,Rick!"

"But...but..hes an animal.." His Father's sliding into an almost monotone.

"He saved Lekeesha,baby. She was being raped,and he SAVED HER. HE can save us too.." His Mother said.

Marc was entirley confused now,who were they talking about?

"I did what I thought was right,Ricky, I dont wanna live in fear anymore..I don't wanna be afraid...for our son. We shouldnt have to live like this...There the animals Baby,look what they did to you,for a lousy watch.."

Thats when Marc heard something he thought he'd never hear, his Father sobing. Marc, still confused, tried to listen in, because now the voices were becoming near whispers, and a calm swept over the house.

" How..How did you find HIM?" He heard his Father ask, voice full of curiosity.

"I didn't... He found me.." His Mother replied.

"WHAT?" His Father yelled."How?"

" Well,I was outside the hospital the night you were attacked. I was crying, and i Heard footsteps behind me. I thought it was those bastards who hurt you,back to finish the job. But it was him.."

Marc leaned in,his interest peaked now. Who was it?

His Mother continued," He asked me if I knew who did it, I told him that I did. He asked, if I had told the police, I told him no.He asked why,and I told him that they would do nothing. There was something about him then Baby, he seemed to..understand...Like he knew it was true..Anyway, he asked if I knew where Obeda lives. I told him..."

Things grew quiet then. Then his Father spoke.

"Do you really think he'll do something about Obeda, about his gang?" His Father asked, and Marc heard something there he thought he'd never hear, hope.

"Baby,"his mother replied, "I think a Man like The Punisher would go to the ends of the Earth for a man like Obeda."

Then his Father started to sob againj,and then he heard his Mother join in.

"Merry Christmas,Baby", his Mother Whispered.

An erie calm creeped over the house as Marc sunk back in his cold seat.

Pulling the tattered mess of a blanket around him, he smiled.

He knew about the Punisher.

Marc slept soundly in front of his beautiful Christmas tree.


	2. Chapter 2

-1**_The Punisher: "Different Gifts"_**

_**Part 2**_

………………………__

Rashard Obeda sat in the comfy embrace of a warm blanket. The lights of the Christmas special on T.V danced in front of his eyes. Toy's littered the floor in front of the young boy.

Rashard's Father walked in the room. With a passing glance, he smiled at his son.

"What ya watchin', Buddy?" His father asked.

" A Santa show," his voice echoed the passive response of a nine year old enraptured by the wonders of television.

As Rashard's Father walked into the kitchen to meet with his "business partners", he leaned out to say, "Don't stay up to late, your Mama's been after me about that.." Then he disappeared.

Rashard didn't answer, eyes glued to the T.V, he didn't even think.

_**BANG!**_

The sound cut through the child's mind, just as the apartment's main door flew open.

" OBEDA!" a dark, desperate looking figure scrambled through the door. Pausing for the moment, wild eyes gazing around the room in a fevered stare.

Rashard recognized the man. He was one of his daddy's friends, that frequented the house. Young Rashard sat, scared of this man. Then he saw something.

A towel wrapped around the mans right hand.

It was soaked with what Rashard thought was red paint.

Rashard griped the warm blanket tightly, trying not to cry out in fear of this man.

His Daddy burst from the kitchen with his two business partners.

Then Rashard noticed something else that was funny. His Daddy and his friends were holding one of those things the bad guy's on T.V had.

Guns.

Rashard saw his Daddy relax at the sight of the man.

" Deproute, what's going…" Rashard heard his Father begin to say, then his daddy's eyes went down and saw the red paint too.

Just then, Rashards Father seemed to realize he was in the room.

" Rashard, go to your room..NOW!" His Daddy yelled at him.

Rashard ran as fast as he could, into his bedroom, and jumped onto his bed.

Under his blanket, he realized he hadn't closed the door, and could still hear what his Daddy was saying.

" Christ Deproute! What happened?" His Daddy yelled, fear slipping into his voice.

Then he heard the scary mans voice.

" Obeda..Obeda..look.." the man muttered. Little Rashard could almost feel the pain in the mans voice.

That's when the small boy heard a gag. Then his Fathers voice.

" Christ Rob, hold it together …Who did this to you, Deproute, Who cut off your hand?" His Father said in a more severe tone then he had ever used with young Rashard.

" He knew you, Obeda…He knew I worked for you… He said..He said it was repayment…told me to run..said to tell you..to run…" The scary mans voiced carried a dark strained chill.

" Who did, who told you this?" He heard his Fathers voice. Pleading, waiting for the answer.

"**I did"**

The voice scared Rashard even more. He had never heard the voice. It scraped like gravel, punched into Rashard like the accusing finger of his Mother.

That's when he heard the thunder.

**BOOM!**

Like a thousand storms, the sound ripped through the apartment. Tearing, and cracking, and twisting every nerve and brain cell that the young child possed. Echoing through all the child's years.

Then it stopped.

Rashard almost smiled at the silence. It was very quiet. Rashard got scared again. He didn't hear his Daddy. His little feet touched the warm floor, as he crept to the doorway. Then he stopped, he heard his Father.

" You… You … I'm gonna kill you.." His voice cold, pained echoed in the foul smelling air.

Then Rashard heard foot steps, they sounded like a lower version of the thunder.

" This is my town..MY CITY…" he heard his Father say.

**BOOM!**

"Not anymore.." The voice spoke, and suddenly Rashard was afraid, for his Daddy.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" He heard his Father scream in pain.

"C'mon, I got a wife…I got a boy.." He heard his Father, and Rashrd though he heard him crying.

" Did you think about them when you sent men out to kill? Did you think about those men's wives and children?" The voice carried through the air. Then the footsteps started again this time accompanied by a new, singular sound.

_**Ka-chink**_

The voice continued.

"Did you ever once think of the repercussions to your child? No, you are as selfish as your are evil. All your telling me from the life you've chosen is that all your child is worth is used as a bartering chip for your life."

" You think you can win? "His Father began to chuckle. " Theres always gonna be another Punisher… You wont stop it… They'll always be another.."

"Too bad for them… I'll always be around…"

_**BOOM!**_

Rashard stood at the doors threshold for what seemed like years, which could be light-years for a child. The slowly, Rashard walked back into his room. Finding a corner and huddling there.

That's were the police found him the next morning.


End file.
